BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called on the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) to play its role as a national strategic sci-tech force and make new contributions to the country's great self-reliance and strength in science and technology.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a congratulatory letter sent to the CAE on the 30th anniversary of its founding.

Xi extended warm congratulations and sincere greetings to academicians of the CAE and other engineering technology workers on behalf of the CPC Central Committee.

Xi said that over the past 30 years, the CAE, under the strong leadership of the Party, has united academicians and engineering technology workers to promote the development of engineering technology, overcome sci-tech difficulties and build major national projects and equipment, thus making important contributions to promoting China's innovation and progress in engineering technology as well as high-quality economic and social development.

Xi emphasized that engineering technology is an important engine driving the development of human society. He expressed the hope that the CAE, at a new starting point, will play its role as a national strategic sci-tech force, lead the innovation of engineering technology, accelerate breakthroughs in key and core technologies, and strengthen its function as a high-end national think tank.

Xi also called on the CAE to make more contributions to realizing the country's great sci-tech self-reliance and strength and building a strong country in science and technology.

The CAE held an academician symposium on Monday in Beijing. At the symposium, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang read out the congratulatory letter from Xi before delivering a speech.

Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, called on the CAE to firmly grasp the strategic opportunities of the new round of sci-tech revolution and industrial transformation, solve major engineering technology problems, promote the industrial application of sci-tech innovations, and better serve the development of new quality productive forces.

He urged the CAE to strengthen the research on "bottleneck" technologies and strive to make more breakthroughs in key fields in accordance with the country's urgent needs and long-term requirements.

Ding also called for strengthening forward-looking and targeted strategic research to support the decision-making of the central authorities.

The CAE was founded on June 3, 1994.